Where can you find one of the most unique mascots in all of college football? Look no further than Norman, Oklahoma, where the Sooner Schooner brings fans at Memorial Stadium to their feet each time the Sooners score. Pulled by two white ponies, the Sooner Schooner is a miniature replica of the Conestoga wagons used by settlers during the opening of Oklahoma Territory. Driven by members of Oklahoma’s spirit organization, the Schooner has been a beloved part of Sooners football tradition since 1964.
The history of Memorial Stadium dates back to the early 1920s when a group of students formed a committee to explore the possibility of building a new home for Oklahoma football. Head coach Bennie Owen played a key role in securing funding for the project, and construction began in 1921. Completed two years later, the stadium was named Memorial Stadium in honor of university personnel who lost their lives during World War I, while the playing surface was named Owen Field in recognition of Coach Owen.
The Sooners played their first game at Memorial Stadium on October 20, 1923, against Washington University. Built at a cost of $293,000, the original stadium featured 16,000 seats on the west side of the field. As Oklahoma football gained popularity, the stadium continued to expand. In 1929, an additional 16,000 seats were added on the east side, increasing capacity significantly. Further renovations occurred in 1949 when the playing field was lowered and the running track was removed. New seating areas along the field and in the north end zone increased capacity to 55,000. Expansion continued during the 1950s with the addition of south end zone bleachers, bringing seating capacity to 61,836. Like many college football stadiums during the era, the natural grass field was replaced with Astroturf before the 1970 season.
Before the 1975 season, an upper deck was added on the west side along with a new press box, increasing capacity to 70,000. By 1980, temporary bleachers that had occupied the south end zone since 1957 were replaced with permanent seating, pushing capacity to 75,000. Natural grass returned to Owen Field before the 1994 season, replacing the artificial surface. In 1995, Memorial Stadium received additional upgrades, including nine luxury suites on the west side, new lighting, and a new video scoreboard. A major renovation project was completed before the 2002 season, adding an east-side upper deck with 8,000 seats and 27 luxury suites. The project also enhanced the stadium’s appearance by adding Cherokee Gothic architectural elements to the north and west facades, matching the style of the Oklahoma campus. New video and audio systems were installed, including updated scoreboards in both end zones.
HD video boards were added in 2007, continuing the modernization of the historic venue. Before the 2016 season, the south end zone underwent a complete transformation as part of a $160 million multi-year renovation plan. The project added new lounge and club seating areas and featured a massive 166-by-31-foot video board, one of the largest in college sports. Future phases of the project included additional improvements to the west side of the stadium.
Today, Memorial Stadium seats 80,126 fans and remains one of college football’s most historic venues. Home to legendary players, championship teams, and seven national championship seasons, the stadium continues to showcase the passion and tradition of Oklahoma Sooners football.
